Shock-absorber.



G. F. KERN.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1909.

1,006,225. Patented 001. 17,1911.

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5607196 fli'rn, Iw/nibr G. F. KERN.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1909.

1,006,225. Patented Oct.17,1911.

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Vfiflnessea em ge I firm, lhv/eniar W (9. J /Ztm'neg UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. KERN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 FREDERICKC. PFEIL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911.

Application filed September 1, 1909. Serial No. 515,601.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. KERN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shock-absorbers for vehicles and more especiallyfor automobiles; the same operating in conjunction with the vehiclesprings and serving to prevent excessive vibration of the springs and tocheck the recovery of the same after being subjected to undue movementin going over rough roads or encountering ruts or obstructions in theroad.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple and effective deviceof this character which is not liable to become easily disarranged andwhich can be quickly applied to or removed from a vehicle.

WVith these and other objects in View, my

invention consists in the construction, ar

rangelnent, and combination of parts to be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the subjoined claims; reference being had tothe accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in whichcorresponding parts are designated by corresponding letters ofreference.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedshock-absorber showing the manner of applying the same to a vehicle; theelliptical vehicle-spring being in expanded condition, such as it wouldassume in recovering itself after the vehicle passed through a rut orencountered an obstruction in the road. Fig. 2 is a similar view of theparts in normal position, such as it might assume when the vehicle istraveling along a smooth road and carrying a certain weight. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the device showing the same connected to the axle of avehicle. Fig. 4 is an e11- larged horizontal section through the springand its casing, taken on line 44, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiontaken on line 5-5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of oneof the links forming the toggle which is connected to the extremities ofthe levers. Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the spring formingpart of the absorber.

The reference letter A designates the frame of a vehicle or body, B oneof the axles carrying the usual traction-wheels, and C one of theelliptical leaf springs mounted upon said axle and supporting thevehicle frame or body.

D designates my improved shock absorber which is intended to be used inconnection with the rear springs of a vehicle, and if desired may alsobe used in connection with the front springs. This shock-absorbercomprises a spring-retaining case or housing formed of two disks Ehaving diverging levers E formed integrally therewith, or if desired,secured thereto. Passing centrally through said disks is a spindle Fhaving reduced outer ends j which are threaded and which form shouldersarranged flush with the outer faces of the case or housing, and placedover said reduced ends are washers G against which bear nuts H threadedonto said reduced ends and held against rotation by means of jam-nuts Halso threaded onto said reduced ends and impinging against the outerfaces of the nuts H. The disks E are held separated by a spacing sleeveI which surrounds the spindle and against the ends of which said disksbear; said sleeve providing an intervening space J between said disks inwhich is located a spiral spring K. Said spring has its ends bentlaterally in opposite directions, as at 70, M, and these ends areentered in openings L, L formed in the disks, the opening L in one diskbeing nearer to the axis of the case or housing than the opening L inthe other disk. The course of the convolutions of the spring is such,that when the diverging levers E are caused to swing toward each other,the spring uncoils; and as said levers separate, a reverse action of thespring takes place.

The ends of the levers E are connected by a toggle M comprising twopivotally connected links m, m As the levers E lie in different planes,the links m, m are provided with off-set portions at opposite ends sothat they may be conveniently connected together and may also have theirouter ends lie in contact with the sides of the levers E A bracket N isfastened to the frame of the vehicle and receives the outer end of theupwardly-directed lever E and the upper through the bracket N so that asecure pivotal connection is obtained to the bracket while pivoting saidlink and lever together. A clevis O is secured to the axle B of thevehicle and has an upstanding lug 0 through which is passed a pivot pin0 which serves to pivotally connect the outer end of the downwardlyextending lever E with the lower end of the link m and both to saidclevis. A retractile spring P of suitable power is provided which hasone end secured to the frame of the vehicle, as at or to some otherconvenient fixed point, and its other end attached to the toggle M nearits center pivot.

The operation of the device is as follows,As the vehicle travels along asmooth road and carries a certain load, it may assume the position shownin Fig. 2; which, of course, is slightly varied according to increase ordecrease of the weight carried on the elliptical springs. When thevehicle passes through a rut or strikes an obstruction in the road, theelliptical springs will become suddenly compressed causing the levers Eto move toward each other and by reason of their connection or formationwith the disks E, the shock-absorbing spring K is caused to slightlyuncoil itself. After the vehicle has passed through the rut or over theobstruction, the spring C expands or rebounds, and this reboundingaction is checked to a certain extent by the 'shock-absorbing springwhich recovers itself during such action due to the levers E, Espreading and checks the rebounding action of the elliptical spring. Thelinks m, m of the toggle prevent expanding of the elliptical springbeyond a certain point; and if the rebounding action is sufficient toreach said point and cannot be checked by the shock-- absorbing spring,the links m, m are moved into a straight line and will not permitfurther expanding of the elliptical springs. At such times theretractile spring P acts to draw the links m, m at an angle to eachother, or in other words, serves to move the links out of thedead-center, so that the elliptical spring can close to the extentrequired to resiliently support the weight of the car-body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,

1. A shock-absorber comprising a spindle, a pair of disks mounted onsaid spindle and adapted for opposite rotation thereon, one of saiddisks having an opening near its axis and the other disk having anopening near its periphery, a sleeve surrounding said spindle andseparating said disks, a spiralspring surrounding said sleeve and havingopposite ends bent laterally in opposite directions and fitting into theopenings of said disks, and diverging levers on said disks adapted forconnection to two different points of a vehicle.

2. A shock-absorber comprising a spindle having threaded reduced outerends to provide shoulders thereon, disks mounted on said spindle andhaving their outer faces flush with said shoulders, a spacing-sleevesurrounding said spindle and separating said disks, nuts applied to theouter threaded ends of said spindle, a spiral-spring surrounding saidsleeve and having opposite ends attached to opposite disks, anddiverging levers on said disks adapted for connection to two difi'erentpoints of a vehicle.

3. The combination with a vehicle having an elliptical spring, of ashock-absorber comprising a housing having diverging levers and arrangedto have opposite sides of said housing rotate in opposite directions, aspiral spring within said housing having opposite ends attached toopposite sides of said housing, a toggle between the outer ends of saiddiverging levers, the outer ends of said levers and said toggle beingconnected to the vehicle at points above and below the horizontal centerof said elliptical spring, and a retractile-spring having one endattached to said toggle between the ends thereof and its opposite endattached to a fixed point.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. KERN.

Witnesses ELLA C. PLUEOKHAHN, EMIL NEUHART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

